Amerys Travels 2009- Costa Blanca, Spain- The Moros i Cristians

This whole area seems to be obsessed with celebrating the invasion of their coast by the Moors in the 8th century (“Moros”) and the subsequent driving out of the Moros again by the Cristians (no, I am not spelling it wrong) in the 15th century, and many towns hold huge elaborate re-enactments of the struggles, two of which we were able to see some of, in Moraira and Benissa.

Be here in the second half of June if you would like to be thrilled by the exotic scene and deafened by the firing of many what look like ancient black powder blunderbusses- but wear ear plugs, as the noise is horrific in the narrow streets. We can’t understand how the local townsfolk have been doing this for hundreds of years and are not yet stone deaf.

Teams of Cristians, Moros and Pirates with elaborate costumes and weapons supported by their bands (not sure how the pirates fit into the history here, but they are very colourful) storm the castle in turns and then have a great big party (seemingly to demonstrate that they are really all friends) and of course you can’t have any fiesta in Spain without heaps of fireworks.

There is a photo of the most impressive float in the Moraira parade- the pirate ship with the huge skeleton at the back, which reared up and down and stretched out to try to grab the pirate captain.

If you want to learn more about the 8th to the 15th Century Moros I Cristians, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moros_y_cristianos

By for now,

Richard